THE first Welney Country Fair is taking place this weekend at the WWT Welney Wetland Centre. Both days will be packed with activities, demonstrations and talks for all members of the family. The focus this year is local food and farming. Everybody can e

THE first Welney Country Fair is taking place this weekend at the WWT Welney Wetland Centre.

Both days will be packed with activities, demonstrations and talks for all members of the family. The focus this year is local food and farming. Everybody can enter the produce competition with classes for all ages and horticultural abilities (entry forms available from the website).

Children can make their own vegetable models to enter the competition. The Feast of Fenland exhibition will be at the Fair and historical cook Alison Sloane is cooking up a feast all day Saturday at her demonstration in the Wigeon café.

Children can learn how to make a 'Fenland Food Bug' on Saturday 11am - 1pm with local artist Fred White, followed with a talk by BBC Radio Norfolk's Charlotte Philcox on 'Going Organic' at 2pm. Local organic food producers 'River Nene Organic Vegetables' and 'Shropshire's' will be offering samples and selling their delicious locally grown produce.

"We are so pleased to have such a packed programme for the first Welney Country Fair," said Centre Manager, Julie Ward. "As autumn approaches the Welney reserve is alive with wildlife and the Country Fair is an ideal opportunity to visit with so many activities to offer visitors of all ages."

For children, author C.A.Chance will be doing book readings from 'The Trepets' children books at 11am and 3pm on both days as well as running 'Wild Art' workshops all weekend. Not to mention pond-dipping, trails, arts and crafts and the 'Great Apple Hunt'.

Other exhibitors offering activities include the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Anglian Water, King's Lynn guides and 'Wild Roots' who will be teaching us how to make longbows.

Eel fisherman, Peter Carter will be demonstrating his willow-weaving skills and offering visitors the chance to have a go themselves whilst 'The Coracle Company' will be showing us how to make traditional coracle boats. We will also be joined by a selection of local craftspeople selling and showing their wares.

For more information and a detailed programme please visit www.wwt.org.uk/welney